Multiple saw tree slasher

ABSTRACT

A tree slasher having a feed conveyor and a sawing and discharging station at the downstream end of the conveyor. The tree stems moved by this feed conveyor are discharged into a transfer table which has a stop plate at the end thereof to stop the tree stems once on the transfer table. Two spaced saws are mounted over the transfer table and swing from an inoperative retracted position to an operative position to saw the tree stems. The saws are spaced from one another and from the stop plate distances that correspond to the length of logs required. A discharge conveyor is provided alongside the transfer table to displace the logs in the same direction and load them into a waiting vehicle. Sweeping blades displaceable across the transfer table move the logs into the discharge conveyor.

United States Patent [1511 3,701,370

Tangnny O c t. 31, 1972 [54] MULTIPLE SAW TREE SLASHER PrimaryExaminer-Harrison L. Hinson [72] Inventor: Jean Paul Tanguay, Roberval,Attorney-Raymond Rob:

Quebec, Can da a [57] ABSTRACT [73] Assigneez Placements .llean PaulTanguay Ltee, Roberval County Quebec A tree slasher having a feedconveyor and a sawing c g a and discharmng station at the downstream endof the conveyor. The tree stems moved! by this feed conveyor [22] F1led:Aug. 29, 1970 are discharged into a transfer table which has a stop 2App]. 5 54 plate at the end thereof to stop the tree stems once on thetransfer table. Two spaced saws are mounted over the transfer table andswing from an inoperative 8H. retracted position to an operativeposition to Saw the I tree sterns The Saws are spaced from one anotherand [58] new Search "143/46 46 fig 23% from the stop plate distancesthat correspond to the length of logs required. A discharge conveyor isprovided alongside the transfer table to displace the logs [56]References W in the same direction and load them into a waiting UNITEDSTATES PATENTS vehicle. Sweeping blades displaceable across the 3 500882 3/1970 Tang 43/46 R transfer table move the logs into the dischargecon- 9 a ay 2,569,878 10/1951 Avinger ..143/46 R veym d Claims, 4Drawing Figures P'A'TE'N'TEB am a 1 m2 sum 1. a? 2 INVENTOR Jean- PaulTANGUAY ATTORNEY P'A'TENTED ZZ 3.701.370

sumaurz a 57 59 49 If 53 f7 VINVENTOR Jean PuulTANGUAY A T TOR NE YMULTIPLE SAW TREE SLASHER The present invention relates to a multiplesaw tree slasher and is an improvement of the invention described in myprior Canadian Pat. No. 796,109, granted on Oct. 8, 1968 and my US. Pat.No. 3,500,882 granted on Mar. 17, 1970.

In the above-mentioned patents, logs are first ob- I tained on atransfer table by cutting the tree stems with located beneath the feedconveyor. The fact that the discharge conveyor stands perpendicular tothe feed conveyor results in a complicated design insofar as the powerdrive is concerned. This situation is rendered even more difficult if itis considered that the discharge conveyor has to be removable so thatthe slasher may be reduced in width when it is necessary to displace it.

This is achieved by removing the discharge conveyor and placing it onthe feed conveyor.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome thesedisadvantages by providing .a tree slasher that can cut tree stems intotwo or more logs of predetermined length, transfer the logs thusobtained into a discharge conveyor that runs lengthwise of the firstconveyor whereby to thus substantially reduce the overall width of theslasher without having to remove the discharge conveyor.

Another object of the invention lies in providing a slasher of theaforementioned type wherein the power drive for the conveyors and sawscan be simplified by providing a discharge conveyor which is stationarywith respect to the slasher body.

The above-mentioned object can be attained in a multiple saw treeslasher according to the invention having a feed conveyor to move thetree stems in a predetermined direction and a sawing and dischargingstation at the downstream end of the conveyor. According to theinvention, the latter station comprises a transfer table which iscoaxial with the feed conveyor and which is disposed at the downstreamend thereof to receive tree stems. Means are provided at the end of thetable opposite the discharge and of the feed conveyor to stop the treestems moved thereon by the feed conveyor. There are at least two spacedrotary saws mounted for swinging motion across the transfer tablebetween an inoperative retracted position allowing free movement of thetree stems onto the transfer table to an operative position wherein thestems are sawed into logs. The saws are spaced from one another and oneof them from the stem stop means distances that are equal to the lengthof logs required. Finally, a discharge conveyor is mounted alongside thetransfer table and is adapted to displace logs received from thetransfer table in the predetermined direction to discharge them into areceiving vehicle while means are provided for moving the logs from thetransfer table into the discharge conveyor.

It is believed that a better understanding of the invention will beafforded by the description that follows of a preferred embodimentthereof having reference to the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the multiple saw tree slasher of theinvention, partly shown in cross-section with certain parts removed tofacilitate understanding of the description;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the slasher of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an end view intended to illustrate the log sweeper assemblyadapted to transfer logs from the feed to the discharge conveyor;

FIG. 4 is also a side elevation view, on a smaller scale than that ofFIG. 2, intended to illustrate logs being discharged from the slasherinto a waiting vehicle.

The tree slasher described herein is for particular use on a mobile treeslasher of the type described and claimed in my previous patentsalthough this need not necessarily be so since the tree slasher can be astationary unit as will easily be gathered from the followingdescription. g

. As shown in the drawings, the tree slasher is formed of a fabricatedbase 1 made of metal shapes over which is mounted a feed conveyor 3formed of a troughshaped body 5 having a plurality of gripping rollers 7of the type described in my previous patents. Rollers 7 are mounted forrotation on two side walls of the troughshaped body 5 and are driveninto rotation by means of a sprocket and chain arrangement 9 ofconventional design, as shown in FIG. 1.

Rollers 7 are of the gripping type, that is they are provided with aseries of spaced radial plates having serrated arcuate outer edgessecured to a central hub.

Feed conveyor 3 is adapted to move the tree stems 11 onto a sawing anddischarging station generally indicated by numeral 13 and also mountedon the base 1.

Generally, the sawing and discharging station comprises a transfer table15 coaxial with the feed conveyor 3 and disposed at the downstreamdischarge end of conveyor 3 to receive the tree stems 11. This transfertable is provided with means, in the form of an upstanding arrestingplate 17 fixed at the end of table 15 opposite the discharge end of theconveyor 3, to stop the tree stems l1 moved thereon by the feed conveyor3.

The tree stems 11 are cut into logs by at least two spaced rotary saws19 mounted for swinging motion across the transfer table 15 and betweenan inoperative retracted position allowing free'movement of the treestem on the transfer table 15 to an operative position, shown in FIG. 1,wherein the stems are sawed into logs. Saws 19 are spaced from oneanother and one of them from the arresting plate 17 distances equal tothe length of logs required.

The logs thus obtained are swept laterally on a discharge conveyor 21 bysweeping ejectors, to be more fully described hereinafter, includingsweeping blades 23. p

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the top of transfer table 15 is arcuatein cross-section and is preferably made up of two sections, one betweenthe two saws 19 and another one between the downstream saw 19 and thearresting plate 17. In this manner, it will be possible to insertgripping rollers at the beginning of the transfer table as well asbetween the downstream saw 19 to help move the tree stems against theabutment plate 17.

Each sweeping ejector is shown to comprise an arm 25 pivotally mountedat one end to a shaft 27 carried by a pair of spaced brackets 29 securedat the 'top of a supporting structure 31 upstanding from the base 1.

The arms 25 of the pair of ejectors are pivoted by spaced links 33 fixedto shaft 27 and the outer free ends thereof are pivotally connected tothe rod of a hydraulic motor or jack 35 of which the cylinder ispivotally mounted on the top of structure 31, as'illustrated in FIG. 3.p

The aforementioned sweeping blades 23 are solid with arms 25 atthe lowerends thereof.

Each ejector is preferably provided with a further arm 33 at the lowerend of which. is fixed a sweeping blade 23, identical to sweeping blade23 of the first arm 25. This second arm 33 may be secured to the firstarm 25 immediately below the pivot shaft 27.

In this manner, blades 23, 23 of this forked ejector or sweepingassembly may thus serve as side guards for retaining. thelogs 11' on thetransfer table during the sawing operation. The forked ejectors are thenrocked by means of the hydraulic motor 35 to move from the positionshown in dotted lines in FIG. 3 to that shown in full lines fortransferring the logs 11 into the discharge conveyor 21.

As shown, particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the two saws 19 are mounted forrotation at the lower ends of a pair of levers 37 the other ends ofwhich are pivotally mounted on a driving shaft 39 (FIG. 2) also intendedto drive the saws 19 into rotation. Driving shaft 39 may be in twosections interconnected by a universal joint 41.

Levers 37, and thus saws 19, are brought into swinging motion by meansof hydraulic motors or jacks 43 having one end pivotaily mounted on alongitudinal member 45 of the top of supporting structure 31 while theother end is pivotally mounted onto brackets 47 provided generallycentrally of levers 37.

The saws 19 are borne by shafts 49 journalled at the lower end of thelevers 37, which shafts are brought into rotation by belt and pulleyarrangements 51 of conventional design and part of which are provided onthe driving shaft 39. p

The sweeping blades 23 may be cut out at the ends thereof, as at 23', toallow for the presence of gripping rollers adjacent saws 19 on thetransfer table 15.

An important feature of the invention is that the logs 11' aretransferred from table 15 into a discharge conveyor 21 the travellingdirection of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of base 1 aswell as the travelling axis of feeding conveyor 3. This will allow tosubstantially reduce the overall width of the slasher as compared tothat of my previously mentioned patents and will make it much easier tomove the slasher to a new location as it will not be necessary that thedischarge conveyor be removed.

The latter may be of conventional design and preferably formed of twosections; a.horizontal one discharging into an inclined one as shown inFIGS. 2 and 4.

Each section may be formed of a pair of parallel chains53 winding aroundsprockets 57, transverse angular pushers 59 being connected-to the twochains 53 to move legs 11' into the travelling direction. Side guards 61are provided on either side of endless conveyors 53, 57, 59 to keep logsll thereon.

As mentioned previously, a horizontal section 63 of the dischargeconveyor may feed into an upwardly inclined section 65 and,additionally, a further end section 67 may lead the logs 11' into thecontainer of a waiting vehicle 69. Section 65, pivoted to section 63,

'may be retained in position by adjustable cables 71 secured at one endto the top of the upstanding structure 31.

An operating cab 73 may beprovided rearwardly of the slasher and on oneside thereof as shown in FIGS. 1 2 and 4.

I claimi 1. A multiple saw tree slasher havinga feed conveyor to movetree stems in a predetermined direction and a sawing and dischargingstation at thedownstream end of said conveyor, wherein said sawing anddischarging station comprises:

a. a transfer table coaxial with and in the continuation of said feedconveyor and disposed at the downstream discharge end thereof to receivetree stems moved by said feed conveyor; r

- b. means at the end of said table opposite said discharge end to stopthe tree stems moved thereon by said feed conveyor;

0. at least two spaced saws mounted for swinging motion across saidtransfer table between an inoperative retracted position allowing freemovement of said tree stems onto said transfer table to an operativeposition wherein said stems are sawed into logs;

d. said saws being spaced from one another and one of them from saidstem stop means distances equal to the length of logs required;

e. a discharge conveyor mounted alongside said transfer table; saiddischarge conveyor adapted to displace logs received from said transfertable in said predetermined direction to discharge them into a receivingvehicle;

f. wherein said transfer table is formed of a top which is arcuate incross-section; j

g. log moving means comprises apair of blades ex tending longitudinallyof said transfer table between said rotary saws and between said stemstop means and the adjacent rotary saw, and

h. means to rock said blades at unison between a first position on theside of saidtable away from said discharge conveyor and a secondposition on the opposite side of said table.

2. A slasher as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rocking means comprisesarms pivotally'mounted at one end for rocking about an axis parallel tosaid predetermined direction.

3. A slasher as claimed in claim 2 wherein said log moving meanscomprises further blades extending longitudinally of said table on theside across from said first blades when the latter are in said firstposition, said further blades being provided at the ends of further armsfixedly secured to said first arms to form therewith a forked ejector.

4. A slasher as claimed in claim 1 including means for swinging saidsaws between said retracted and sawing positions, said swinging meanscomprising levers pivotally mounted at the upper ends thereof forswinging motion between said retracted and sawing positions and about anaxis parallel to said predetermined axis,

said saws being rotatably mounted at the lower ends of said levers.

5. A slasher as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feed conveyor is agripping conveyor and said transfer table comprises two transverselyarcuate tops spaced from 5 one another and wherein at least one grippingroller is provided between said arcuate tops.

1. A multiple saw tree slasher having a feed conveyor to move tree stemsin a predetermined direction and a sawing and discharging station at thedownstream end of said conveyor, wherein said sawing and dischargingstation comprises: a. a tRansfer table coaxial with and in thecontinuation of said feed conveyor and disposed at the downstreamdischarge end thereof to receive tree stems moved by said feed conveyor;b. means at the end of said table opposite said discharge end to stopthe tree stems moved thereon by said feed conveyor; c. at least twospaced saws mounted for swinging motion across said transfer tablebetween an inoperative retracted position allowing free movement of saidtree stems onto said transfer table to an operative position whereinsaid stems are sawed into logs; d. said saws being spaced from oneanother and one of them from said stem stop means distances equal to thelength of logs required; e. a discharge conveyor mounted alongside saidtransfer table; said discharge conveyor adapted to displace logsreceived from said transfer table in said predetermined direction todischarge them into a receiving vehicle; f. wherein said transfer tableis formed of a top which is arcuate in cross-section; g. log movingmeans comprises a pair of blades extending longitudinally of saidtransfer table between said rotary saws and between said stem stop meansand the adjacent rotary saw, and h. means to rock said blades at unisonbetween a first position on the side of said table away from saiddischarge conveyor and a second position on the opposite side of saidtable.
 2. A slasher as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rocking meanscomprises arms pivotally mounted at one end for rocking about an axisparallel to said predetermined direction.
 3. A slasher as claimed inclaim 2 wherein said log moving means comprises further blades extendinglongitudinally of said table on the side across from said first bladeswhen the latter are in said first position, said further blades beingprovided at the ends of further arms fixedly secured to said first armsto form therewith a forked ejector.
 4. A slasher as claimed in claim 1including means for swinging said saws between said retracted and sawingpositions, said swinging means comprising levers pivotally mounted atthe upper ends thereof for swinging motion between said retracted andsawing positions and about an axis parallel to said predetermined axis,said saws being rotatably mounted at the lower ends of said levers.
 5. Aslasher as claimed in claim 1 wherein said feed conveyor is a grippingconveyor and said transfer table comprises two transversely arcuate topsspaced from one another and wherein at least one gripping roller isprovided between said arcuate tops.